Stackable bottle system

ABSTRACT

A stackable bottle for use with liquids or other consumable materials and a system of such stackable bottles features nesting bottles having interlocking upper and lower surfaces, interlocking side walls and integral handles. Each bottle has generally planar side walls to permit optimization of stack volume. Bottles are designed to be stacked in an upright position to reduce spillage from the neck of each bottle. Interlocks provide a locational transition fit engagement for ease of connection and disconnection.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to containers, and moreparticularly to a system of stackable bottles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known to provide a storage bottle which permits stacking ofbottles on the bottles' sides. Examples of such bottles include U.S.Pat. No. 4,892,207 to Cullis entitled: “Bottled Water Container”, U.S.Pat. No. 5,002,199 to Frahm entitled: “Stackable Bottle”, U.S. Pat. No.4,308,955 to Schieser et al. entitled: “Interfitting, StackableBottles”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,889,834 to Harris entitled: “ContainerConstruction”. Such stackable bottles are not ideal as the sidewaysstacking of bottles may increase the likelihood that the contents of thebottles will leak out of the bottles, particularly where the bottlecontents are liquid.

It is also known to provide stackable bottles which permit the nestingof the neck of one bottle into a recess in the bottom of another bottle.Examples of such bottles include those described in U.S. Pat. No.1,042,998 to Climalene entitled: “Improvements in Stackable Containers”,U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,469 to Mehta et al. entitled: “Stackable Bottle”,U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,793 to Brandt et al. entitled: “Stackable Bottle”,U.S. Design Patent No. D466,413 to Justice entitled: “Stackable, NestingBeverage Container” and PCT Patent Application No. PCT/AU93/00380 toPreston entitled: “Stackable Water Bottles”. These nesting, stackablebottles do not include means for interlocking the sides or tops andbottoms of the bottles to provide stability to a stack of such bottles.

In addition, stackable bottles are known which incorporate a nestingneck and interlocking means to connect their top and bottom surfaces.Examples of such bottles include U.S. Pat. No. 3,474,843 to Marisentitled: “Blow-Molded Containers” and U.S. Pat. No. 2,641,374 to DerYuen entitled: “Container”. Such bottles, however, do not include meansfor interlocking their side walls.

Other bottles are known which incorporate a nesting neck andinterlocking means to connect the sides of the bottles, including U.S.Pat. No. 6,588,612 to Dorn et al. entitled: “Plastic Container withStacking Recesses” and U.S. Pat. No. 3,369,658 to Hasselmann entitled:“Portable Container Transport Unit”. These bottles, however, do notinclude means for interlocking their top and bottom surfaces.

In the bottle described in U.S. Design Patent No. D407,020 to Dotyentitled: “Stackable Polymeric Container for Liquids”, a stackablebottle is described in which the handles of the bottle are components ofthe horizontal interlocking means. Such a structure is less than idealin that the handles of the bottle will not be accessible when the bottleis in a stack.

In PCT Patent Publication No. WO/03055756 to Clark entitled: “ModularBottle”, a bottle is described which permits snug nesting of the neck ofone bottle into a recess in the bottom of another, as well as sideinterlocking means. The bottle is intended for use as a construction toyafter consumption of the beverage contained therein. The bottle does notprovide a planar top and bottom support surface for stable verticalstacking of bottles containing consumables.

Ideally, a stackable bottle for use in a system of stackable bottlesshould have a neck and floor recess which generally are of a size to fitwith corresponding necks and recesses in other stackable bottles of thesystem. Such bottles should provide interlocking means for connectingthe sides of adjacent bottles, interlocking means for connecting the topof one bottle to the bottom of another and interlocking means forconnecting the neck of one bottle into the floor recess of anotherbottle. The overall geometry of the bottles should be planar and ideallycubical to optimize stacking volume. Each such bottle should include atleast one handle which is accessible when the bottle is incorporatedinto a stack of such bottles.

While the prior art contains some of these elements, none of the priorart bottles incorporate all of the desired characteristics of astackable bottle and system of stackable bottles according to thepresent invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one of its aspects, the invention comprises a stackable storagebottle and a system of interlocking stackable storage bottles, eachbottle having a storage chamber with an upper surface, a conical ceilingextending upwardly from the upper surface, a lower surface, and at leastfour generally planar side walls; a cylindrical neck extending from thecenter of the conical ceiling and having an opening at its top end; aconical recess in the lower surface of a size sufficient to envelop theceiling and neck of another storage bottle insertable therein; verticalinterlocking means for releasably connecting each side wall to the sidewall of another storage bottle stackable adjacent thereto; andhorizontal interlocking means for releasably connecting the uppersurface to the lower surface of another storage bottle stackedthereabove.

In another aspect, each storage bottle may be stacked in an uprightposition above, below or beside another upright storage bottle to form astable bottle stack.

In still another aspect, the neck of each storage bottle may be compriseinterlocking means for locational friction fit engagement with the floorrecess of another storage bottle.

In a further aspect, each bottle may have at least one aperture betweenadjacent side walls, each aperture forming a handle. There may be arecess in at least one of the side walls for application thereto of alabel.

In yet another aspect, each of the storage bottles may be blow-moldedand may be a liquid storage bottle. The storage bottles may bemanufactured of a polyethylene material.

In still another of its aspects, the size of each storage bottle may beselected for use with industry standard drinking water dispensers.

In still a further aspect, the vertical interlocking means may compriseat least one recess on the side wall for engaging a correspondingprotrusion on the side wall of another storage bottle and the horizontalinterlocking means may comprise at least one recess in the lower surfacefor engaging a corresponding protrusion on the upper surface of anotherstorage bottle.

In yet a further aspect, the neck of each bottle may further comprise anexternal thread for attachment thereto of a screw cap.

Other aspects of the invention will be appreciated by reference to thedescription of the preferred embodiment which follows and the drawingsthereof, and to the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described by reference to the preferred embodimentand the drawings thereof in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a stackable bottle, according to theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective bottom view of a stackable bottle, according tothe invention;

FIG. 3 is an isometric cut-away view of a stackable bottle, according tothe invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective front view of a stackable bottle, according tothe invention;

FIG. 5 is a cross-section of two stackable bottles, demonstrating thenesting of the neck portion of one bottle with the floor recess of theother bottle; and

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a stack of stackable bottles according tothe system of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE BEST MODE AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THEINVENTION

Referring first to FIG. 1, a stackable bottle 2 according to the presentinvention comprises a storage compartment having an upper surface 4 witha conical ceiling 6, a centrally disposed neck 8 extending from theconical ceiling with an opening 10 therein, and a lower surface (notshown). The bottle has four side walls 12, 14, 16, 18, verticalinterlocking means comprising side wall protrusions 20, 22 correspondingto side wall recesses 24, 26, and horizontal interlocking meanscomprising at least one upper surface protrusion 28 corresponding to atleast one lower surface recess (not shown).

The side wall protrusions are of a size, relative to the size of theside wall recesses, which permits a releasable locational transition fitengagement of the protrusions into the recesses. Similarly, the uppersurface protrusions are of a size, relative to the size of the lowersurface recesses, which permits a releasable locational transition fitengagement of the protrusions into the recesses.

The neck 8 may have an external thread 30 for attachment of a screw cap(not shown).

One or more apertures 32 between adjacent side walls 12, 18 may form ahandle 34 at the side edge of the bottle. A second handle 36 may beformed between the remaining side walls 14, 16. The bottle may includeone or more shallow recesses 38, 40 in the side wall surfaces forapplication of labels or other marking devices.

As shown in FIG. 2, the lower surface 42 of the bottle incorporates acentrally disposed conical recess 44 and at least one peripheral recess46 for engagement with an upper surface protrusion (not shown).

As best seen in FIG. 3, the storage compartment 48 of the bottle isintersected by the aperture 32 forming the handle 34.

FIG. 4 shows one face 12 of a stackable bottle of the present invention,demonstrating the planar construction optimal for stable stacking whichoptimizes stack volume.

In FIG. 5, two bottles are shown in stacked configuration. The neck 8and conical ceiling 6 of the upper surface of the lower bottle 50 aredimensioned to fit within the recess 44 in the lower surface of theupper bottle 52. The fit permits stacking of bottles without causingdamage to labels or seals disposed over the mouth of the bottle. In oneembodiment, as show-n in FIG. 5, the clearance between the neck and therecess in which the neck is nested is minimal to provide a close fitbetween the neck and the recess. The side walls of the upper bottle 52are fully supported by the side walls of the lower bottle 50 alignedbelow. As well as providing a stability function, the horizontalinterlocking means provides an alignment function to ensure stackstability.

FIG. 6 demonstrates the system of the invention, showing a stack 54 ofstackable bottles 2. Bottles are aligned and interlocked vertically aswell as horizontally. The system of the invention permits stacking ofbottles in an upright position to discourage leakage and spillage duringstorage and transport. Even where a seal fails, spillage will be muchless than would be the case were the bottles stacked with the neck in ahorizontal position. One of the handles 34, 36 of each bottle on theperiphery of the stack is accessible to a handler. No rack is necessaryto hold the bottles, as the vertical and horizontal interlocking meansprovide stability to the stack.

The bottles of the invention may be stacked in both empty and filledconditions. Bottles may be stacked during filling, transportation,storage prior to use, storage after use, cleaning and during consumptionof the consumable materials in the life cycle of the bottles.

The bottles of the invention may also incorporate means for identifyingthe contents of the storage bottles. Such identification means mayinclude colour coding, distinguishing structural features, or otheridentifying features for content identification purposes.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other variationsof the preferred embodiment may also be practiced without departing fromthe scope of the invention.

1. A system of interlocking storage bottles comprising: a plurality ofstorage bottles, each bottle having a storage chamber with an uppersurface, a lower surface and at least four generally planar side walls;a central conical ceiling extending upwardly from the upper surface; acylindrical neck extending from the center of the ceiling and having anopening at its top end; a conical recess in the lower surface of a sizesufficient to envelop the ceiling and neck of another storage bottleinsertable therein; vertical interlocking means for releasablyconnecting each side wall to the side wall of another storage bottlestackable adjacent thereto; horizontal interlocking means for releasablyconnecting the upper surface to the lower surface of another storagebottle disposable thereabove.
 2. The system of interlocking storagebottles of claim 1, wherein each storage bottle may be stacked in anupright position above, below or beside another upright storage bottleto form a stable bottle stack.
 3. The system of interlocking storagebottles of claim 1, further comprising at least one aperture betweenadjacent side walls to form a handle.
 4. The system of interlockingstorage bottles of claim 1, further comprising a recess in at least oneside wall for application thereto of a label.
 5. The system ofinterlocking storage bottles of claim 1, wherein each of the storagebottles is a liquid storage bottle.
 6. The system of interlockingstorage bottles of claim 1, wherein each of the storage bottles isblow-molded.
 7. The system of interlocking storage bottles of claim 1,wherein each of the storage bottles is manufactured of a polyethylenematerial.
 8. The system of interlocking storage bottles of claim 1,wherein the size of the storage bottles is selected for use withindustry standard drinking water dispensers.
 9. The system ofinterlocking storage bottles of claim 1, wherein the verticalinterlocking means comprises at least one recess on the side wall forengaging a corresponding protrusion on the side wall of another storagebottle.
 10. The system of interlocking storage bottles of claim 1,wherein the horizontal interlocking means comprises at least one recessin the lower surface of the housing for engaging a correspondingprotrusion on the upper surface of another storage bottle.
 11. Thesystem of interlocking storage bottles of claim 1, wherein the neck ofeach bottle further comprises an external thread for attachment theretoof a screw cap.
 12. The system of interlocking storage bottles of claim1, wherein the bottles in the stack of bottles are fillable with aconsumable material.
 13. The system of interlocking storage bottles ofclaim 1, further comprising a locational transitional fit between theneck of each storage bottle and the conical recess of another storagebottle into which the neck is nested.
 14. A blow molded liquid storagebottle having a storage chamber, a conical ceiling in an upper surface,a lower surface, and at least four generally planar side walls; acylindrical neck extending upwardly from the center of the conicalceiling and having an opening at its top end; a conical recess extendingupwardly from the lower surface of a size sufficient to envelop theceiling and neck of another storage bottle insertable therein; verticalinterlocking means for releasably connecting each side wall to the sidewall of another storage bottle stackable adjacent thereto; horizontalinterlocking means for releasably connecting the upper surface to thelower surface of another storage bottle disposable thereabove.
 15. Thestorage bottle of claim 14, further comprising at least one aperturebetween adjacent side walls to form a handle.
 16. The storage bottle ofclaim 14, further comprising a recess in at least one side wall forapplication thereto of a label.
 17. The storage bottle of claim 14,wherein the size of the storage bottle is selected for use with anindustry standard drinking water dispenser.
 18. The storage bottle ofclaim 14, wherein the vertical interlocking means comprises at least onerecess on the side wall for engaging a corresponding protrusion on theside wall of another storage bottle.
 19. The storage bottle of claim 14,wherein the horizontal interlocking means comprises at least one recessin the lower surface for engaging a corresponding protrusion on theupper surface of another storage bottle.
 20. The storage bottle of claim14, wherein the neck further comprises an external thread for attachmentthereto of a screw cap.
 21. The storage bottle of claim 14, furthercomprising means for identifying the contents to be stored in thestorage bottle.
 22. The storage bottle of claim 14, further comprising alocational transitional fit between the neck of the storage bottle andthe conical recess of another storage bottle into which the neck isnested.